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Best brook trout lakes in Montana

51 Montana waters hold brook trout, 51 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.

1. Canyon Ferry Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Hauser Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
3. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
4. Whitefish Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout
5. Lake Sherburne — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
6. Clark Canyon Reservoir — 91 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
7. Gibson Reservoir — 165 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Arctic Grayling, Cutthroat Trout
8. Georgetown Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
9. Mcgregor Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
10. Tally Lake — 450 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout
11. Pishkun Reservoir — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout
12. Lake Helena — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
13. Lindbergh Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout
14. Willow Creek Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout
15. Lake Sutherlin — 51 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake Whitefish
16. Newlan Reservoir — 87 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
17. Browns Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
18. Hubbart Reservoir — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout
19. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout
20. St Marys Lake — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout
21. Lake Alva — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout
22. Mcdonald Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout
23. Spar Lake — 200 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee
24. Coopers Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout
25. Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch

…plus 26 more Montana waters holding brook trout.

When to fish brook trout in Montana

• Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
• Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
• Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.

Also in Montana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes

Brook Trout elsewhere: Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Utah · Colorado · New York · Nevada · Maine